Banega to Arsenal rumours gather pace

When it comes to Italian football, there are not many journalists out there as reliable as Di Marzio and Nicolò Schira. Hence Arsenal fans will be happy to read what Nicolò Schira has to say about one particular Arsenal news today. Only this week the news emerged that Arsenal are interested in signing Sevilla and Argentina star Ever Banega. At first people thought it was just one of those rumours agents manufacture in order to get a deal for their client. However, so many reliable outlets have since reported Arsenal interest in the player.

Today, according to Nicolò Schira, the player’s agent is in London to hold talks with Arsenal player. The highly rated journalist went on to add that the deal is not going to be a straight forward one despite the fact that the player has a release clause inserted to his contract. Below is what Nicolò Schira tweeted in regards to the Ever Banega to Arsenal news..

Ever #Banega’s agent (Marcelo Simonian) is in London now. Tonight he will talk with #Arsenal. Unai #Emery wants him and insists on, but it’s not a simple deal. Siviglia doesn’t want to give up. #transfers. #AFC

This is getting interesting. It appears despite the fact that Arsenal have gotten Lucas Torreira ( or so the media would have you believe ), they still want another defensive midfielder. This to me is a pointer that a midfielder in the current Arsenal squad will be leaving. Most likely Elneny. Also, the fact that Nicolò Schira claims the deal won’t be a straight forward one despite the fact that the player has a release clause inserted to his contract means Arsenal are trying to negotiate a fee lower than his reported release clause. Which tallies with what Daily Express reported not so long ago.

With the player’s agent flying to London to discuss with Arsenal, it means he and his agent are probably interested in making the move to the Emirates and as we all know, once a player wants a move, he most always gets his way. The worst thing that can happen here is for Arsenal to activate his release clause and play the full amount.

And with the release clause said to be just €20 million, I doubt Arsenal would have any problem paying that amount.

What do you our readers think? Elneny out Banega in? Your comments are welcome in the comments section.

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29 Comments

I don’t want him, am I the only who thinks he’s bang average at its best?? I hope Emery ain’t planning to turn us into a parking the bus team. I have no idea why we’re chasing Banega if Torreira is an Arsenal player, I’d rather we use the fee to get a winger or skillful CM like Cazorla, I simply have no belief in Ramsey handling the CM position well, he’s not disciplined enough.
I hope and pray this Banega talk is BS though

Agree, he is not young and average at best. But what is this park-the-bus talk? Sometimes you need to win ugly, Emery is trying to add variety. With Jack gone(5m/season salary), Santi and Per off the wage bill(7m/season salary), we need variety in the middle and back, and numbers too.

I don’t like this banega rumour, why not go for a strong box to box midfielder like doucoure if we want to sign another midfielder. Banega is nothing special and isn’t young, so it will be better to give maitland-niles the chance instead. Kovacic wants to leave madrid due to playing time, sounds unrealistic but after being on the beach behind kroos and modric for so long, he might fancy coming here, why not spend big money and go for him as he is better than all our central midfielders. I just feel there are better options than buying banega.

Kovacic is not a reject, he just can get into the starting eleven because off two of the best midfielders in the world right now and when he plays, he is brilliant. He will be expensive, so might put us off but. Kovacic is a player i would be going for if i was in charge of a top team. Imagine liverpool or another team in the epl getting him, would improve rhem significantly.

This wont be a bad deal if El-neny leaves. For all i know, he is an upgrade on El-neny. Any upgrade is welcomed. Do you really think we can get expensive world class players with our rumored transfer budget? Building is a gradual process, over time this set of incoming players may be replaced by better players who currently may not be affordable. Also Torreira is young and not so experienced yet, he will definitely need someone to keep him on his toes _ a challenge El-neny may not be up for because he is average.

Ever is not a kind of player we should be targeting now as far as I’m concerned and not because of anything else but his age. We already have too much players in his age brackets for a club that is self sustain. We need to be buying players in 23-26 years of age. Finally, we must not bring in players because we think that they are an upgrade on what we have. We should in my own opinion look for first team players as some of our player are squad player and so is Ever.

I would rather see Ozil leave and we invest on a young technical CAM along with these new guys. He will generate 30-40mil at least, for now. And 350k is uneven considering others are on lower wages. That is 17-18mil/season salary straight!

I see that Banega will only come to Arsenal if he has reassurances of regular play!?

Forget it, I say! No player should demand regular play. If you perform then you play. I worry about the “South American Temperament” to honest and, whilst I do think steel is needed at Arsenal, we also need players who can keep a good head. The EPL is difficult for South Americans because of the physical nature of their play. The EPL has been very tetchy over the last decade or so. I see lots of bookings for Banega. In that case we deffo need more backup!

Bags of experience & knows Unai’s way of things. Might be a good mental for the young lads especially Niles as he finds his feet. If anything Arsenal fans should know a thing or two about rushing a young talent (JW point in case). We have lost 2 midfielders in Carzola & Jack, these can be replaced by Lucas & Benega. He can be cover for sick Ozil & still has to prove his fitness Mhiky. Elneny & Xhaka are other players I personally don’t have confidence in who can battle it out with Benega.

If Unai wants a team in his image I say lets support him, we gave Wenger this chance & if the team he left cant play the high pressing style or are not technical enough why not bring in new experienced blood to lay the foundation.

No…no… no… Are we building a retirement home or something? The guy is 29 probably turning 30. What’s with all the links to these 30 something players anyway? We already got Litchsteiner (34 turning 35) then Sokatris (29) now Benatia (31 i think) and Banega (29). Add to that Auba (29), Ozil (30), Monreal (32), Ramsey – if he stays (28), Lacazette (28 i think). Do you see the worrying trend? What happens when they all retire or outplay their usefulness at the same time? Imagine Liverpool right now with a front 3 of Mane (32 years), Firmino (30 years) and Mo Salah (31 years). They would certainly be worried about the continuity of their lethal strike force once those 3 are finished.

That’s called build a house of experience winners. Banega looks a big steal considering the number of matches we have to play. We need to have a good squad depth too. Look at real city Bayer and Juventus they all have good bench strength that’s why they don’t freak out in the mid of the season like us. Banega is a deep laying player with more defensive minded a perfect replacement for carzola and Wilshere. Mind you carzola and Wilshere are out with only Torreira in. So buying a experience player at 20m not a bad call. And what happened to people who were calling arsenal a selling academy. When Wenger was incharge he bought young players then people complained how they are going to take time and develop and then leave (which actually happened). But now unai is bringing players with better experience.

Fair points, but in reality Cazorla was out for almost the last two seasons so he should not have been counted as in our midfiled at all. SO, IN REALITY, WE HAVE ONLY LOST WILSHERE, and I will not be shedding too many tears about losing this vastly regressed player(even though his regression was constant injury caused).

Agreed , Wilshere was mostly overrated throughout his entire career. Maybe because he is British. The number of great matches he had or the goals he scored all you can count on your fingers only. I don’t know why is he treated like a legend or so. Not even Henry or Robert pries had a treatment like this. Everyone is so exaggerating his passion for the club. Whereas in reality the club actually carried him through his rough times. I mean he was getting paid 100k every week for a lumpsum 2 years just for being injured. And now instead of fighting for his place he decides to join a club who might be fighting for relegation. I’m seriously ? This is your passion.
For me carzola will always be a greater loss than Wilshere.

need a younger playmaker. I know what Emery is trying to do with the addition of Banega, and its somebody he trusts, but our team is starting to looks a bit old. way too many players approaching 30, do we really need another? I agree that getting Kovacic would be a good idea. Just somebody in their early-mid 20’s that has potential to keep growing. This transfer worries me a bit.

We need to bring in experienced players something we didn’t have during Wenger’s era even ex Arsenal players like petit supports that idea since we have too many young players already and most of them are not ready for 1st team- it’s very sad to see some people in this forum keep mention Nketiah, Reiss and Niles reality is they are not ready whoever criticize Banega might be new to football game he is better than what we have combine and perfect Cazorla replacement

The article asks us ” Elneny out, Banega in?” PERSONALLY I would almost have Elneny out, my aged Aunt Gladys in. In fact almost anyone on earth rather than the turgid , sideways passing, totally uncreative Elneny. I do not know Banegas worth as I have not watched him much. And to TRULY know, you need to watch anyone in the PREM, since that is where they will have to play. The Prem is completely different from much of Europe or elsewhere in that it is frantic, powerful and you need pace, strength AND mobility, together with the vitally important sheer talent. All I see in Elneny is a willingness to work hard(which is something at least) and some pace but little else. Mustafi has not much of any of these qualities, nor does Xhaka, bar some physicality and I would crave all three of these to be out the door ASAP, together with the mistake ridden and “fancies himself as a winger, not a full back” Bellerin. A winger , moreover, who cannot cross an accurate ball, save once in a blue moon. They all need replacing IMO.

Jon, haha ha please keep your aunt Gladys out of this platform. If I recall well you are 68, so Aunt Gladys should be in her mid or late 80s. We wouldn’t want to announce her obit on a football pitch. Please let her enjoy her knitting.

She is 91 actually. And she has a distinct role to play on this platform , if only to be compared favourably to Elneny. Her knitting is far more creative than his passing. She does not knit backwards for a start!

Banega is pure CM
Sometimes used as CAM
He is average speed
Good physical condition
Not injury prone
High dribbling skills
Very average when it comes to marking
Good mentality
Great vision of the pitch
His best is the capacity to pass the ball
Great assisting skills
Strong free kick
Strong middle-distane shots

With the Banega rumours it is obvious that Emery is after a player he trusts. The Argentina manager is being criticized after the loss to Croatia for not playing Banega.
Banega’s manager is supposedly in London for discussions with Arsenal.
However, although the responsibility rests with Unai and Sven the concerns are his age, the apparent requirement that he be guaranteed a start (like Wilshere was denied), his family is well settled in Spain and Seville may not wish to sell.
Although Unai is keen, hopefully Sven and Raul are looking at other options (hopefully to add height).